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Showing posts from September 8, 2011


Navratri 2021 – 8 days not the usual 9 days in 2021 – Why?

Navratri is the celebration of 9 nights dedicated to Goddess Shakti but in 2021 there are only 8 nights in traditional Hindu calendar. Navratri 2021 begins on October 7 and ends on October 14, 2021. So why is that in 2021 it is 8 days not the usual 9 days. This is because two tithi falls on a single day in all Hindu calendars. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala and Tamil Nadu – Navratri day 3 and 4 are marked on the same date – October 9, 2021. Dwitiya and Tritiya falls on the same date. In North India , Navratri day 5 and day 6 falls on the same date – October 11, 2021. – Panchami and Sashti falls on the same day. In Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka   – Navratri 5 and 6 are marked on the same date – October 9, 2021. Panchami and Sashti falls on the same day. The auspicious and important festival dates remain the same in all regions.

Creating A Map of The Sacred Forests

Many temples and traditional homes in India have sacred groves in their vicinity. Sacred groves contain rare trees and plants with medicinal properties. Legend has it that when Hanuman was flying with the Saneevani mountain to save Lakshman’s life, chunk of the mountain fell at numerous places. Sacred groves appeared at the places where the chunk fell. Dr Shonil Bhagwat, a reasearcher at Oxford University, is creating the first ever map of the sacred forests. The Tribune reports Dr Shonil Bhagwat’s field studies show how some parts of India have one sacred forest for every 741 acres. He has expert knowledge about threatened tree species in the religious forests of Karnataka, home to ‘poison arrow’ trees (Antiaris toxicari), and some unusual types of fig (Ficus microcarpa) and myrtle (Syzygium zeylanicum).  He has taken a particular interest in the Kodagu district of Karnataka where devarakadus or sacred groves have been damaged by illegal cutting, grazing and fires. Some of these deva